CBS Predicts Former Tennessee OL Cade Mays' Next NFL Team

The publication projects the Carolina Panthers will re-sign the unrestricted free agent.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 9:47am

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Former Tennessee football offensive lineman Cade Mays is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. CBS has predicted that Mays, who broke out as the starting center for the Carolina Panthers in 2025, will re-sign with the team.

Why it matters

Mays was a standout player for the Volunteers before being drafted by the Panthers in the sixth round in 2022. His potential re-signing with Carolina would provide stability on their offensive line as they look to build on a playoff appearance last season.

The details

In 2025, Mays appeared in 14 games for the Panthers, starting all but the first. He produced a strong PFF grade of 61.0, including a 67.6 mark in pass protection and 58.3 as a run blocker. Mays began his college career at Georgia before transferring to Tennessee, where he was named Second-Team All-SEC in his final season.

  • Mays was drafted by the Panthers in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
  • He played for the Panthers from 2022-2023 before being released and signed to the New York Giants' practice squad in 2024.
  • The Panthers signed Mays back off the Giants' practice squad just a month later in 2024.

The players

Cade Mays

A former offensive lineman for the Tennessee Volunteers who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason after breaking out as the starting center for the Carolina Panthers in 2025.

Carolina Panthers

The NFL team that drafted Mays in the sixth round in 2022 and is predicted by CBS to re-sign him as an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

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What they’re saying

“Carolina keeps Mays, who has developed nicely since being a sixth-round pick in 2022.”

— Zachary Pereless, CBS Writer (CBS)

The takeaway

Mays' potential re-signing with the Panthers would provide stability on their offensive line as the team looks to build on its playoff appearance last season. The former Tennessee standout has developed into a reliable starter in the NFL after being a sixth-round draft pick.